Cover Story
The decline in eurozone prices is the most dramatic example of deflationary pressures afflicting the globe. All eyes are now on European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi and his efforts to reverse that trend.

It is essential for companies to work with banking partners they know they can trust. Global Finance’s annual ranking of World’s Safest Banks have been the recognized and trusted standard of financial counterparty safety for more than 20 years.

Global SalonGlobal Finance sat down recently with Andrew Spindler, president and CEO of the Financial Services Volunteer Corps, which has spread the gospel of sound financial systems to the developing world for the better part of a quarter of a century.

This year, we updated the name of the awards to reflect the extent to which digitization is transforming our lives in general and banking in particular. By renaming this as the Digital Bank Awards, we are making the competition more inclusive of current technology and more future-focused in anticipation of developments still to come.

Dan Keeler

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2014

REGIONAL FOCUS By Dan Keeler Perceptions of poverty and corruption have long dogged sub-Saharan African countries looking for investment. But as growing interest in Africa’s economies has morphed into a frenzy of investment, a new perception gap is ...

FRONTIER MARKETS REPORT By Dan Keeler Ukraine’s decision to turn its back on Western Europe has seriously undermined its near-term appeal, but long-term opportunities remain. Perhaps more than any other country in Europe, Ukraine is torn between ...

Myanmar may be the last frontier market in Asia, with plenty of natural resources and a government targeting growth of over 7.5% for the next five years. Still, while investors remain cautiously optimistic, the economic transition will need to be delicately handled.

WAITING IN THE WINGS By Dan Keeler Croatia hopes its membership in the EU will help it diversify and deepen its economy, but it could take some time for that to materialize. Croatia joined the European Union in July this ...

ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT: AFRICA 2013 With a stunning twist of fate, companies that are looking for a refuge from the turmoil of recent years in developed markets are turning their attention to the continent that for much of the past ...

ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT: AFRICA 2013 By Dan Keeler Developed-markets watchers hope tightening trade ties and increasing foreign direct investment will help ease tensions in North Africa. Two years after the Arab Spring swept through North Africa and beyond, ...

ANNUAL SUPPLEMENT: AFRICA 2013 By Dan Keeler Innovative financing techniques and growing investor sophistication are prompting a surge of interest in sub-Saharan infrastructure projects. Sub-Saharan Africa is rapidly turning into the growth and investment story of the ...

WAIT AND SEE - As it tries to establish a new model for economic development, Ecuador presents a challenge for companies considering investing there. The country is politically stable, but its president, Rafael Correa, is a polarizing figure, both locally and abroad. It is economically vibrant, but much of its potential is tied to oil reserves located in ecologically sensitive areas ...

RETURN TO GLORY?
​Côte d’Ivoire has the opportunity to regain its status as a leading African economy. Blessed with a wealth of natural resources, a pleasant climate, a strategical location and a level of infrastructure unrivaled in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire was long recognized as one of the continent postcolonial stars.

THE CONTENDER
Cambodia is emerging as a key investment destination—and potential consumer market—for companies focused on Southeast Asia. After more than a decade of 6%-plus growth—with just one hiccup during the global crisis in 2009—this nation of 15 million people has begun attracting serious interest.

East Africa is a hotbed of new oil and natural gas finds. Most countries are taking a slow and measured approach to developing their resource boon, but will they avoid the resource curse that plagued many early-developers?

MEETING POINT By Dan Keeler Panama is working hard to become the dominant corporate hub in Central America. With its stable and open economy and its uniquely favorable location as the bridge between North and South America, ...

NEWSMAKERS: KENYA By Dan Keeler Kenya appears set to reap a substantial investment dividend in the wake of its largely peaceful presidential election held in early March. Kenyatta beats his rivals Analysts believe that portfolio flows and foreign ...

Namibia’s fortunes may be about to change dramatically, as recent surveys have shown its offshore geology could rival the biggest oil discoveries of recent years. But even without its oil prospects, Namibia has quietly established itself as an attractive investment destination. A recent Bloomberg Markets study placed Namibia among the world’s 20 most attractive emerging markets from an investment standpoint.

PRIME PROSPECT By Dan Keeler Companies that ignore Bangladesh may be missing a key investment opportunity. Photo Credits: FRITZ16 / Shutterstock.com Often portrayed in the media as a basket case that lurches from one natural disaster to ...

UP AND RUNNING By Dan Keeler Having regained its footing in the wake of the financial crisis, Angola is now looking to erect a fairer, more balanced economy. As it continues to rebuild its economy and society ...

STAKING ITS CLAIM By Dan Keeler A history of stability, a growing middle class and a rapidly expanding economy are among the key assets of this West African gem. Photo Credits: REUTERS / YAW BIBINI Ghana has ...

LOCATION | NEW YORK CITY To celebrate the launch of its new monthly section on Frontier Markets, Global Finance held a networking event in January at the Harvard Club in New York. Frontier markets specialists and investors from around ...

WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY By Dan Keeler In a new monthly feature, Global Finance delves deep into the opportunities in frontier markets. With youthful populations, underutilized natural resources and eagerness to join the global economic community, the world’s frontier ...

2012

AN INVESTMENT-GRADE STORY Moderated by Dan Keeler Global Finance hosted Turkey’s central bank governor and Turkish financial executives at a roundtable in Istanbul in September to discuss economic development, the importance of Turkey’s upgrade to investment grade and ...

NEWSMAKERS: KENYA By Dan Keeler Nervousness about Kenya’s March 2013 general election is prompting international investors to put their investment plans on hold, says Musalia Mudavadi, one of the leading candidates in the presidential race. Mudavadi: Kenya’s ...

NEWSMAKERS: TURKEY By Dan Keeler Turkey’s authorities are concerned that the economic boost provided by an upgrade to investment grade by Fitch Ratings could trigger some unwelcome side effects. Erdem Başçı says he can keep inflation in check ...

MILESTONES: COLOMBIA By Dan Keeler Three months after its free-trade agreement with the United States went into effect, Colombia is already reaping the benefits, in terms of investment, export growth and job creation. González, Proexport Colombia: Colombia's ...

LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES By Dan Keeler The improving economic and investment environment makes Angola a tempting target for foreign direct investors. But changes aimed at improving the business environment and building infrastructure must move forward before the country ...

Shifting Trade Flows And The New Consumer By Dan Keeler Fast-growing trade between BRIC countries has been fueled by an expanding middle class. Western rivals face stiff local and regional competition in building emerging markets growth. A ...

COVER STORY: ALTERNATIVE FINANCING By Laurence Neville Small and medium-size companies are vital to economic growth and critical to corporate supply chains. Yet traditional lending is virtually closed to SMEs in most markets—certainly in developed markets of the West. ...

2011

NEWSMAKERS: ALBANIA By Dan Keeler As most of Europe’s leaders tighten the screws on their battered economies, tiny Albania, one of the continent’s poorest nations, is pushing ahead with an ambitious plan intended to substantially boost foreign direct ...

SPONSORED ROUNDTABLE: IN SAFE HANDS Moderated by Dan Keeler Key figures from the world’s leading sub-custodians discuss how they are helping their clients deal with the effects of the flood of new regulation. Florence Fontan BNP Paribas ...

NEWSMAKERS: IRELAND By Dan Keeler When Ireland’s voters unceremoniously booted out the Fianna Fail-led government in early March election, they were hoping that new leadership would give the country a fresh start. IDA’s O’Leary: Confident Humbled by ...

NEWSMAKERS: ISRAEL By Dan Keeler Steinitz: One-year budgets are a “terrible mistake” Just two years after being mired in the depths of the global financial crisis, Israel is experiencing a sharp and sustained recovery that is the envy ...

Global Finance names the World’s Best Investment Banks 2011 New York, February 22, 2011 — Global Finance announces its selection of the World's Best Investment Banks 2011 to be published in its April 2011 issue. Global Finance editors, with input ...

ANGOLA: ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY By Dan Keeler Ravaged by a 27-year civil war and buffeted by the recent global financial crisis, Angola has suffered more than its fair share of challenges. Undaunted, its leaders are striving ...

ANNUAL SURVEY: EM 200 By Dan Keeler Regional powerhouses in Asia and Latin America continue to build their presence as their markets recover strongly from the global recession. While much of the developed world continues to wrestle ...

2010

Global Finance ranks the 10 Biggest Banks in the Middle East NEW YORK, December 6, 2010 — As the world's key emerging markets continue to drive the global economy out of recession, Global Finance unveils its third annual Global Finance ...

NEWSMAKERS: GLOBAL By Dan Keeler Zoellick: Promoting fair value of ecosystems In an attempt to help countries calculate the true value of their natural assets, the World Bank has launched a project that will create an ecosystem valuation ...

COVER STORY: KENYA – REBIRTH OF A NATION By Dan Keeler With a new constitution, bold economic targets and an ambitious social development strategy, Kenya is determined to become the new star of Africa. All the signs so ...

With the world still reeling from the beating it took during the financial crisis and with many countries rashly—and bafflingly—talking their way into what threaten to be costly and damaging currency confrontations...

In this month's cover story we find that the alarming specter of sovereign risk has the potential to drive the global economy back into recession and spawn a new frenzy of risk aversion among investors...

ANNUAL SURVEY: SAFEST BANKS by Dan Keeler Global Finance selects the world's safest banks—the 50 institutions with the highest ratings from the leading international credit ratings agencies—and the safest banks in seven regions. It is a measure ...